Hinged stake-pocket.



R. P. BORGA, DEOD.

1). A. 120mm, ADMINISTRATBIX.

HINGED STAKE POCKET.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.!5,1Q13.

Patented Sept 23, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

[NVE/VTOR A110) nay WITNEZZ/ZS COLUMBIA PLANODRAPH 30., WA$HINGTON, u. c.

IIITE STATlEg PATENT @FFIQE.

REGINALD P. BORGA, OF SOUTH NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR 0F TWO-THIRDS TO SAMUEL W. LYONS, JR., 0F NORFOLK, VIRGINIA; DOB/A A. BORGA ADMINISTRA- TRIX OF SAID REGINALD I. IBOBGA, DECEASED.

HINGED STAKE-POCKET.

Application filed February 15, 1913.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 23, 1913.

Serial No. 748,688.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, REGINALD P. BORGA, a subject of the King of Norway, having declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States, residing at South Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk and State of Virginia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Hinged Stake- Pockets, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide flat or platform cars with means whereby the load may be discharged laterally wit-hout danger to the attendant, or damage to the stakes or stakepockets. I am aware that it has been sought to attain this object by providing the stake-pockets with a hinged member which may be released in order to release the stake, but so far as I am aware, the prior constructions still leave a portion of the stake-pocket stationary and in gripping contact with the stake, and also in the path of the dumping load. My invention diifers from the prior constructions in that the whole stake-pocket is arranged to separate from the stake when the stake-pocket is released, so that the pressure of the load will insure the parting of the stake and its pocket without damage to either, as my whole stake-pocket swings down out of the way of the passing load.

The invention consists of a stake-poeket open at the back, and hinged at its bottom end to the side of the car, flanged on its sides, and held in position to receive and hold the stake by means of a latch mechanism which is operable to release all or any number of the stake-pockets on the side of the car when it is desired to discharge the load.

An additional feature of the invention is an automatic detent for holding the stake pocket against the side of the ear in position to be engaged by the latch.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a loaded fiat car containing one application of the invention. Fig. 2 is an end view showing the loaded car discharging from one side. Fig. 3 is an elevation showing a portion of the side of a car with the latching device in dotted lines and pocket locked in position.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation, showing a portion of the side of car in section. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the flanged pocket and the latch. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the latch detached. Fig. 7 is a vertical section of the stake-pocket, showing a n'iodification.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 3, 4:, 5 and 7, the stake-pocket comprises side walls 1 and a front wall 2, and has no back wall. In other words, the stake-pocket is left open at the back, the purpose of which will presently appear. This stake-pocket preferably has its front wall slanting rear wardly at the bottom, thereby providing a closed bottom, or a closed bottom may be otherwise provided. At the bottom of the pocket a knuckle 3 is provided, which is adapted to eodperate with a knuckle plate 4-, to which .it is secured by a pin 5. The knuckle plate is bolted or otherwise securely fastened to the side of the car or to the side sill. The knuckle 3 and the knuckle plate form a hinge, by which the stake-pocket is hingedly secured to the ear, and it is secured near the lower edge of the side or side sill so as to swing clear of a discharging load when released.

The pocket is provided at the back with oppositely arranged rearwardly extending pairs of hooks 6, and adjacent to these hooks are the laterally extending flanges 7. The hooks 6 extend through holes 8 in the side or side sill 9 of the car into the inside of the car, and are there adapted to be engaged by a latch 10 secured in alinement therewith in any suitable manner, as by staples 11. These latches have wedge lumps 12 which cooperate with the pairs of hooks 6 on the pocket to lock the pocket in a vertical position to the side of the car. There is a latch of this sort for each of the stake-pockets, and each latch may have its individual operating mechanism, or, preferably, each latch may have a lever 13 pivoted to the side of the car or to a plate 14: which may be provided for carrying the latching members and for strengthening the side of the car. These levers 13 are connected with a sliding bar 15 suitably secured to the side of the car, and provided with any suitable operating mechanism by which all or any number of the latches may be operated. Butterfly bolt heads 16 may be provided as a means of connecting or disconnecting any number of the levers 13 with the operating bar 15. It will be noticed that the arrangements for latching are upon the inside of the car or side sill, and protected thereby. Four suit-able apertures, one for each hook On the pocket, just sufiiciently large to easily permit the passage through of the hooks 6, must be cut in the side or side sill of the car and in the plate 14:, if the plate be used. This plate 1% may not be required on a steel car, but its use on wood n ,cars greatly strengthens the parts.

The stake 17 is inserted in the pocket, and its upper end connected with a similar stake at the opposite side of the car by any suitable means, such as a chain or wire 18, to secure the load.

As shown in Fig. 1, the car may be pro; vided with the stake-pockets of this invention at suitable intervals, with interposed stake-pockets 19 of any construction, containing stakes 20, and when the load is to be discharged the stakes 20 are removed in an usual or suitable way, and then the latches of the stake-pockets of this invention are withdrawn, and the pressure of the load will be exerted against the stakes and the stakes will out with and in advance of the load, as indicated in Fig. 2, while the stake-pockets themselves will drop down on their hinges free of the load.

The car may be equipped with stakepockets as just described, or all of the pockets may be of the new construction. The pockets may be arranged insets for separate operation, as indicated in Fig. 1, or

otherwise, as desired.

Then the stake-pockets are to be restored to useful position to receive stakes, they are automatically retained in such position until latched, by. means of, a gravity or automatic detent bar 21, which'may be fastened to the sides of the car or to the plate 14: by a slot and pin connection 22, and these detents engagelumps 23 on the upper surfaces of the upper books 6. This detent arrangement is, however, so constructed as not to interfere in the least with the separation of the pockets and stakes when the pockets are'released by the Withdrawal of the latches; the pressure of the load being suflicient to Overcome the resistance afforded by the lumps 23.

It is also to be noticed that the stakepocket has a closed bottom so that the stake cannot become so tightly wedged therein as to resist separation from the pocket when the pocket is released. This bottom may extend from the front back to the knuckle only, as shown in Fig. 4, or it may be con tinued above the knuckle toward the rear,

as shown at 24 in Fig. 7. As the tripping or unlatching of the pockets may be accomnlished from the end of the car, the unloading is accomplished without danger to the attendant. I deem my device an improvement upon the prior' art also, in the fact that this stake-pocket, in itself, may be cast or constructed at a single opera tion, and that the latching device has the strength of the side of the car to assist in its ollice of maintaining the pocket in position, as in ordinary circumstances, either the hooks of the stake-pocket would have to break or the latching wedges would have to be pulled throughthe side of the car to. 1 cause unpremeditated release of the load.

he invent on is not limited to the particular form of hooks or latches, although what is herein shown is practical. t 2

Obviously, the invention is susceptible of various structural changes so long as the principle of an open back pocket'parting bodily from the stake is retained.

\Vhat I claim is 1. A stake-pocket, having closed sidesand front, and an open back, and provided with a hinge at s botom adapted o. e se ured to the side of the car, combined with a la hing mechanism at the back by which the pocket may be locked to a car, and adapt d o r as the p cke 50 ha t may separate bodily from the stake outward movement on its hinge. V

2. A stake-pocket, closed at its sides, fron and ot om, op n a s. ba k, nd having a'hinge knuckle at its bottom, and hooks at its back at or near the top,and a complemental hinge member adapted to coop a wit th k u kle. O th po k t 0 hinge the pocket to a car, combined with a sliding latch adapted to engage the hooks.

A take. po ket, ose t its e front and bottom, open at its back, and having a hinge knuckle at its bottom, and hooks at its back at or near the top, and a complemental hinge member adapted to cooperate with the knuckle of the pocket to hinge the pocket to a car, combined with a sliding wedging latch adapted to engage the hooks.

4:. A stake-pocket, closed at its sides, front and bottom, open at its back, and having. a hinge knuckle at its bottom, and hooks at its back at or near the top, and a complemental hinge member adapted to cooperate with the knuckle of the pocket to hinge the pocket to, a car, combined with a sliding latch adapted to engage the hooks, and means to operate such latches on a car.

5 A stake-pocket, means to hinge it to the side of a car, means to latch'the stakepocket in operative position on the car, and an automatic detentfor holding. the pocket in position to receive the latching means."

6. A stake-pocket, means, to hinge it to the side of a car, and means to rel easably fasten the pocketinposition on the car to receive a stake, combined'with an automatic any number or all of detent comprising essentially a gravity plate applied to the side of the car, and lumps on the pocket adapted to be engaged by the gravity plate.

7. A stake-pocket, having an open back, laterally extending side flanges, hooks projecting from such flanges and adapted to extend through holes in the car sides, and a latching mechanism arranged inside of the car and adapted to engage the hooks, and means to hinge the pocket at its bottom at or near the lower edge of the side so that when unlatched said pocket will swing ilown on its hinge clear of the discharging oad.

8. A stake-pocket, having an open back, laterally extending side flanges, hooks projecting from such flanges and adapted to extend through holes in the car sides, a reinforcing metal plate similarly apertured for the passage of the hooks and located inside the car, and a latching mechanism arranged inside of the car and adapted to engage the hooks, and means to hinge the pocket at its bottom at or near the lower edge of the side so that when unlatched said pocket will swing down on its hinge clear of the discharging load.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of February A. D. 1913.

REGINALD P. BORGA.

WVitnesses:

H. C. MAURY, J. R. SEARS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

